If a recent Lifehacker post is anything to go by, women have begun to put makeup sponges in their vaginas as a way to make period sex mess-free.According to the post by Nona Willis Aronowitz, for those looking for “bloodless oral, digital, and penetrative sex” during their period, “cosmetic wedges might just change your life.”She then suggests inserting 1 or 2 wedges all the way to the cervix, which she says should last for a couple of hours.Gynecologist Dr. Jen Gunter, however, disagrees. She warns women that using makeup sponges in their vaginas could be a fatal decision!
Lifehacker blogger recommends using makeup sponges for mess-free period sex. A new trend in which women are putting makeup sponges into their vaginas has gotten the attention of gynecologist Dr. Jen Gunter. Dr. Gunter, who is known for dispelling vaginal health myths that surface on the Internet, has addressed the issue after a post published on Lifehacker advised that “cosmetic wedges” are the answer to mess-free period sex.
Lifehacker blogger says that the practice could be a game changer. According to the post by Nona Willis Aronowitz, women who are looking for “bloodless oral, digital, and penetrative sex” during their period can insert 1 or 2 makeup sponges into their vaginas, pushing it up to their cervix. She says that it will keep the sexual experience blood-free for a couple of hours.
Lifehacker blogger says sponges feel “like the inside of a vagina.” The sponges “warm up quickly,” says Aronowitz, and in no time, “feel just like the inside of a vagina.” Although fingers are likely to feel them, she writes, a sheathed or unsheathed penis “will be none the wiser, while a tongue won’t be able to reach them at all.”
It’s a practice used by sex workers. Aronowitz says that a former escort was the one who told her that makeup sponges are a staple of the adult X-rated film industry. While admitting that the removal process isn’t for the faint of heart, Aronowitz says when sex is over, all a woman needs to do is bear down and fish the sponges out.
Dr. Gunter disagrees … Dr. Gunter, however, says that makeup sponges shouldn’t be inserted into the vagina to soak up menstrual blood. She explains that the practice is a potentially deadly one, as it puts a woman at risk of toxic shock syndrome or TSS.
Makeup sponges made out of material linked to toxic shock syndrome. According to Dr. Gunter, makeup sponges are made out of a material that has been linked to toxic shock syndrome. She reminds readers that back in the 1970s before the FDA made safety tests for tampons more stringent, Proctor & Gamble had designed a super-absorbent tampon called Rely.
Tampon made out of similar material was recalled in the 1970s. Rely, says Dr. Gunter had the shape of a tea bag, and among its main ingredients was polyester foam. She says that a few years after it was put on the market, “there was an alarming outbreak of TSS.”
Tampons now linked to less than 50% of TSS cases. Researchers discovered, says Dr. Gunter, that polyester foam increased a woman’s chances of developing toxic shock syndrome, and Rely was recalled. Now tampons are linked to less than half of the incidences of TSS, which itself has become very rare.
Lifehacker blogger says that women can also use sea sponges. In her Lifehacker post, Aronowitz says that women can also use sea sponges for mess-free sex during periods. She cites Dr. Lanalee Sam, Elite Daily’s Ob/Gyn, who says that neither sea sponges or makeup sponges come with any higher risk of TSS than a tampon.
Again, Dr. Gunter disagrees … Dr. Jen Gunter points out that it simply isn’t true that tampons and sea sponges come with a similar risk of TSS. She points to research that not only are sea sponges more likely to contaminated with bacteria but that the FDA has found that menstrual sea sponges contain an array of extras including “sand, grit, bacteria, yeast, and mold.”
The use of makeup sponges and sea sponges isn’t “a hack.” Dr. Gunter says it is foolhardy for women to believe that using makeup sponges or sea sponges during their period is “a hack.” It isn’t a hack, she says, it is “gross disregard” of the evidence currently available.
Tampons can’t be compared to makeup or sea sponges. Dr. Gunter also says that it isn’t correct to compare tampons with other products like makeup sponges and sea sponges because the FDA “requires extensive data” on the safety of tampons. The makers of tampons need to report on the product's effects regarding any adverse tissue reaction, vaginal injury, vaginal infection, as well as toxic shock syndrome (TSS).
The attention paid to the safety of tampons is “a big deal.” Don’t forget either, says Dr. Gunter, “the specific attention” paid to “microbiology” when it comes to tampons. She says for her, all these aspects are a “big deal.”
An irresponsible suggestion … Ignoring all the factors tested to ensure that tampons are safe and recommending the use of makeup sponges or sea sponges instead, says Dr. Gunter, is a disservice to women. She advocates for the article to be taken down from the Lifehacker site.
“Oxygen is not your vagina’s friend but I am.” Dr. Gunter, who also tested a makeup sponge in a beaker of water to see how much air was trapped inside, said she was “astounded by the amount of gas released.” The “introduction of oxygen, she says, is thought to be a critical part of the development of TSS, which Aronowitz seems to be unaware of." Aronowitz has since updated her blog with the fact that she has reached out to Dr. Gunter and says that she intends a follow-up post.
I'm a guy and even I know about Toxic Shock Syndrome!!! What the hell! Please never do this for a guy EVER!!! Let it be messy - risk messing up the sheets but don't risk messing up your health!
Thanks for the helpful information!
Beautiful post